Ice Miller partner Kathleen Scheidt will be presenting a concurrent session titled "How Do SARS and RSUS Really Work?" at The ESOP Association’s Employee Owned 2026 conference.

View the full agenda.

About the Conference:

Employee Owned 2026 provides a comprehensive and immersive conference experience that supports professional growth across the employee ownership community and advances the long‑term success of ESOP companies.

Building on The ESOP Association’s mission of education, advocacy, and community, EO26 brings together high‑impact learning, peer‑to‑peer engagement, and meaningful networking. The conference focuses on the real‑world needs of employee‑owned companies and the professionals who lead and advise them.

Program Description:

ESOP companies often look beyond salary, annual incentives, and retirement benefits when recognizing employees whose contributions have a disproportionate impact on organizational results. Because traditional equity tools are generally unavailable, many organizations rely on Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) to address succession, retention, and leadership development objectives. The conversation explores where these arrangements fit within an employee-owned organization, where limitations begin to emerge, and how compensation philosophy influences their design. By connecting talent development, retention challenges, and long-term organizational needs, the presentation provides a more complete view of the role SARs and RSUs can play in employee-owned companies.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the design and objectives of SARs and RSUs.
• Understand how SARs and RSUs work.
• Evaluate whether or a SAR or RSU program could be a good complement to a company's ESOP.

Audience:

• Internal Trustee
• HR Staff
• CFOs
• CEOs
• Financial Managers
• Board Members
• Professionals

Speakers:

• Kathleen Sheil Scheidt, Partner, Ice Miller LLP
• Peter Jones, Partner, Tucker Ellis LLP